Steam-condenser



(No Model.)

B. T. ST-OWELL.

STEAM UONDENSER.

Patented Sept. 25., 1883.

Inventor,

u Prism Mwumm W 040.

UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

BARNA T. STOWELL, OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS.

STEAM-CONDENSER.

SPECIFICATION' forming part of Letters Patent No. 285,703, datedSeptember 25, 1883,

Application filed May 17, 1883.

To allwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BARNA T. STOWELL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Somerville, in the county of Middlesex and State ofMassachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement inSteam-Condensers, of which the following is a description.

The nature of my invention consists of a new and automatic mode forcreating and maintaining a vacuum in steam-condensers for either high orlow pressure engines without the use of any pumps or power for thatpurpose, and requiring little or no attention, since, if any part of theapparatus should fail to perform its work, the steam will continue toexhaust in the same manner as before the apparatus was attached.

A noticeable feature of my invention is, the condenser is always placedunder water in any place or position where water will flow past orthrough it. The mode of construction represented in the drawings is moreespecially adaptedfor high-pressure engines on inland river boats. Thisapparatus being very simple in its construction, I have in the drawingsrepresented a sectional view, showing the figure cut vertically downthrough the center to show interior construction.

Figure 1 is a sectional view of my apparatus. Fig. 2 is a view of thecondenser.

In the drawings, A is the condenser, firmly fastened to the side of aboat, and is made long in proportion, or in any form or shape to offerthe least resistance in running through the water. From the bottomof thecondenser a small pipe (not shown in the drawings) runs down to thepumps that supply the boilers, through whiohthe water from the condensedsteam is drawn off.

B is a pipe running from the condenser up and into the exhaust-pipe 0,having in its upper end a throttle-valve, F, evenly balanced at itscenters. This valve is provided with a lever or arm extending into theexhaust-pipe. From the end of this lever is attached a rod running downin the exhaust-pipe to near the steam-chest H, having at its lower end afunnel-shaped;plate, L, for automatically working the valve F in amanner described hereinafter.

O O is an exhaust-pipe' opening into and resting upon the steam-chest H.

(No model.)

E is a valve fitted to work air-tight in the exhaust-pipe some two feetabove the steamchest. At this place the exhaust-pipe has an enlargement,X, to allow a free passage of the steam, and also to permit water fromthe condensation of the steam to collect in a quantity sufficient tocover the valve E, thus causing it to work absolutely air-tight.

' D D is an annular tube or casing around the pipe B and theexhaust-pipe 0, below the valve E, made air tight and kept full of coldwater to facilitate condensation. It terminates at its lower end underwater.

G is the 'pipe through which the water is supplied to the boilers,running from the pump up through the bottom of the annulartube D D, andterminating near the top. So it will be observed that the constantpumping to supply the boilers will keep the annular tube D D full ofcold water.

Mode ,of operation: As the engine is started the exhaust steam, strikingthe plate L, closes the throttle valve F, thus preventing any steamgoing into the condenser through the pipe B, the steam passing outthrough the valve E until the pressure of the atmosphere above the valveequals the pressure of steam below, when the valve closes. \Vhen therush of steam through the exhaust-pipe ceases, the throttle-valvev Fautomatically opens by its own weight, thus allowing the small amount ofsteam leftin the cylinder and pipe-not having sufficient expansive forceto open the valve E against the ordinary pressure of the at1nospheretoescape into the condenser, where it will be instantly condensed.

It will here be observed that at every pulsation of the engine all theair in the exhaustpipe between the cylinder and valve E must be carriedout by the escaping steam, thus creating and constantly maintaining agood vacuunrwithout the use of any pumps for that purpose.

I will further remark, in the case of sea-going vessels-such asscrew-propellers having no guards projecting from their hulls forprotection-that I place the condenser in a recess made especially forthat purpose, of sufficient' depth in the outside of the hull to protectthe condenser from any obstructions or injuries incident to makinglandings, lying at wharves, 820., and to obviate the resistance of'proper place to put all condensers for marine purposes.

It is to be understood that the automatic apparatus or arrangementcomprising my second claim, for creating and maintainingavacuum withoutthe use of any air pumps for that purpose, is adapted for all kinds ofhighpressure engines with any kind of a c011- denser. The condenser A isprincipally adapted to that class of side-wheel boats plying inlandwaters and western rivers. These boats have guards projecting out fromtheir hulls on a level with and forming acontinuation of the lower deck,which will protect the condenser, placed as I propose from injuryincident to making landings, 85c. Since'all these boats have theirengines situated forward of the wheels I place my condenser on theoutside submerged part of the boat and forward of the wheels, to be asnear the engine as possible. The condenser, which should be made long inproportion, to offer the least resistance in passing through the water,should be firmly fastened to the side of the boat and have a number oftubes passing through it, that water may flow freely through and aroundit in either direction, according as the boat moves either forward orbackward, to faeilio tate the condensation of steam.

I am aware that pipes of various kinds have been placed under water and011 the outside of boats, before for various purposes, such ascondensing steam to obtain fresh water, pumping ships of bilge-water,8w. Imake no claim to any arrangement of pipes or condensers for thesepurposes; nor do I claim any kind of a condenser when placed on acanal-boat, nora condenser working in combination with any wheels fordirectly inducing a currentsuch as that patented by G. XV. Hall, May 4,1880, No. 227,245.

What I do claim is- 1. For that class of side-wheel boats mainly plyinginland waters, the condenser A, at

taehed to the outside of a boat, forward of the wheels,near the engineand below the surface of the water, being made of any suitable size orform required, in combination with the connection-pipe B,when surroundedby water in the tube or casing D D, as and for the pur pose described.

2. The automatic apparatus or arrangement of the exhaust-pipe O O,withits upper valve E, throttle-valve F, connection-pipe B, suctionpipe G,and annular tube or casing D D, for the purpose of automaticallycreating and maintaining a vacuum in the condenser without the use ofany air pumps for that purpose, substantially as above shown anddescribed.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

BARNA T. STOXVELL.

\Vitnesses:

HERBERT A. CHAPIN, L. S. FAIRBANKS.

